Safe Jobs

A lack of alternative employment opportunities is one of the most serious barriers for people seeking freedom from a trafficker.
Watch this short video to understand why safe, living wage jobs are essential for individuals who have escaped from a trafficker.
"But I can tell you that running was not the hard part. The hard part was choosing poverty. The hard part was starting over at age 26, with an 8 yr old girl, being homeless. The hard part was having a criminal record, a huge gap in job history, and more trauma than any person should live with. The hard part was 'What now?'" -Rebecca Bender, Founder & CEO,                                         The Rebecca Bender Initiative

Our approach

  • Increase the number of businesses willing to hire survivors and persons at risk of trafficking.
  • Connect survivors and at-risk individuals with existing job training programs and potential employers.
  • Collaborate with local service organizations that provide direct services to survivors or at-risk individuals.​
  • Provide ongoing support to businesses and the employees they hired as a result of this program.​
To learn more, read our Safe Jobs Program Overview.
BEST is currently piloting a project in King County, WA to increase job training and employment opportunities for survivors of human trafficking or persons at risk of trafficking.
Project goals
  • ​Create a database of existing job training programs and employers willing to participate in the program
  • Provide training and resources for employers who have committed to participating in the program
  • Create an online tool for the use of advocates and case managers throughout King County to match the needs of a survivor or at-risk individual with the opporunity that best fits their life goals

Benefits of becoming a Safe Jobs partner organization

Safe Jobs Partners
  • Discover a new pool of applicants for unmet employment needs
  • Increase workplace diversity
  • Potentially receive Work Opportunity Tax Credit (https://www.doleta.gov/business/incentives/opptax)
  • Enhance employee engagement
  • Receive public recognition from BEST
  • Demonstrate your brand's commitment to the community

Resources

"Billion Dollar Bets" to Establish Pathways to Careers
​A Real-World approach to Connecting Low-income Workers with IT Jobs
​Opportunity Youth Business Case from Grads for Life
Some Companies Go Nontraditional to Find the Right Fit
​Increase Productivity and Retention of Entry Level Employees
Taking 'Hire Character, Train Skill' From Theory to Practice
​Building Opportunity
​AT&T's Diverse Mentoring Relationships Accelerate Employee Engagement
Why Companies Should Invest More in the Retention of Entry-Level Employees
“The contemporary labor market in the United States is failing job seekers, particularly low-income and minority individuals and families...Even for the ‘good’ jobs that do exist, low-income and minority candidates face tough odds, given failing public education systems, limited social networks that link candidates to work-based learning opportunities, and cultural and racial biases that exclude them for not fitting in with the companies’ cultures.”     
​                                                            -The Bridgespan Group, "Billion Dollar Bets"                                                                                           to Establish Pathways to Careers